Vernier device



July 15, 1941. R. N. HAYES VERNIER DEVICE Filed June 2, 1939 3mm HJWHay e5 Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VERNIER DEVICE 'Ross Ney Hayes, Abilene, Tex.

Application June 2, 1939, Serial No. 277,099

3 Claims.

This invention relates to'vernier devices and more particularly to an improved Vernier means -for use with various devices.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved Vernier means wherein the movement of one member relative to another can be more acg curately calculated or controlled than is at present possible through the use of registering scale marks.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Vernier means using light rays projected through registering passages so that the user of the device can more accourately determine the position of one element relative to another.

A further object of this invention is to provide a Vernier device of this kind wherein the passages may. be iilled with transparent means so as to prevent dust or dirt particles from enteringthe passages and thus disturbing the passage of light rays therethrough.

A further object of this invention is to provide a Vernier device of this kind which can be used with either circumferential scales or linear scales.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stationary member and a movable member, each of the members being provided with passages whichare adapted to be selectively moved into registery one with another and to provide means for projecting light rays through the registering passages in order to more accurately'determine the relative position of one member relative to another.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and -illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein are shown embodiments of this invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a Vernier meanssconstructed according to an embodiment of this invention used in combination with a rotatable dial and, a stationary member, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure. 1.

Referring to the drawing'and first lfto Figure 1, the numeral I designates generalla dial which 4has a Vernier knob II mounted axially thereof.

merals I3 are associated with the graduations I2. The dial I0 is'provided with lopenings I4 in the form of light ray projecting windows and a transparent substance I5 of suitable composition is adapted to be mounted within each opening I4. There is an opening I4 disposed through the dial I0 for each graduation I2.

The dial I0 is mounted on a stationary support I6 and a stationary scale or indication means I'I is interposed between the upper portion of the dial I0 and the support I6. The stationary or Vernier member I1 is provided with at least one opening I8 which is adapted to register with a selected opening I4 in the dial I0. The support I6 is also provided with an opening I9 registering with the opening I8 and the transparent iiller 20 is mounted in the opening I8. A transparent material 2| is mounted in the opening I9. A light 22 is adapted to be positioned beyond the support I6 and the light rays from the light 22 are adapted to be projected through the openings I9, I8 and through an opening I4 which is in registery with the openings I8 and I9.

The vernier member II is adapted to be secured to the support I6 by means of bolts or screws 23 and preferably, this Vernier member I1 is positioned under the upper portion of the dial IIJ as shown in Figure 1. The ratio ofmovement of the dial IIJ relative to the stationary indicating mem ber I1 effected upon rotation of the knob I0 may be any desired ratio. In the event the desired opening I4 in the dial I0 is not in exact registry with thelight projecting openings I8 and I9, the amount of light rays passing through the openings I8, I9 and I4 will be an indication to the user of the device that the dial I0 is not in proper position.

In the use of this device, the movable member I0 is adapted to be moved under rotation of the knob I I and the degree of movement of the dial I0 can be calculatedthrough the registration of a selected opening I4 with the registering 'ripenings I8 and I 9. With a device of this kind it will be more easy for a person operating the-movable member to bring this movable member into more accurate registry with the stationary indicating means in the form of the openings I8 and I9 in the stationary member I1.

This is due to the fact that when the selected opening I4 is in registry with the aligned openings IB-and I9, the light rays from the lamp 22 will be clearly projected through the aligned and registering openings. With a device of this kind the visual indication given by the registering openings and the light projected through the openings will provide a quicker means for determining When the movable member I 0 has been moved to the desired degree. Where detents or grooved graduations are used as is at present the case, it is possible to move the movable member slightly out of registry with the stationary meml ber Without this position of non-registry being detected by the eye. However, where light rays are projected through `the registering openings,

the eye can more readily detect the exact moment of the stationary member, means for adjusting the adjustable member to provide for the selected ,registry of the axial centers of its light emitting passages with the axial center of the passage of the stationary member, transparent means in the passage of said stationary member, and means for reflecting light rays ina direction for illuminating the transparent means of the axially aligned light emitting passages.

2. A` VernierA means comprising an adjustable opaque member provided on its outer :face with spaced marginal graduations, said member being formed therein Withspaced light emitting passages each correlated with one of said graduations, a transparent means in each of said passages, a stationary opaque member having at least one light emitting passage, the said adjustable member overlapping and positioned in front ofv the stationary member, means for adjusting the adjustable member to provide for the selected registry of the axial centers of its light emitting passages with the axial center of the passage of the stationarymember, transparent means in the passage of said stationary member, a support common to said members and being formed with a light emitting passage having its axial center in permanent registry with the axial center of the passage in said stationary member, transparent means in the passage of said splport, and means for reflecting light rays in a direction for illuminating the transparent meansof the axially aligned light emitting passages.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 having each of the light emitting passages of circular form and the graduations on the adjustable member intersecting the light emitting passages in such member dlametrlcally of such passages.

ROSS NEY HAYES. 

